News Focus
E
xpo 2020 recently announced
its partnership with Informa, to
organise business and entertainment
events for the Dubai 2020 exhibition.
Informa will be organising a number
of events including the 20th Cityscape
Global; Middle East Film and Comic
Con; and the inaugural GamesCon.
Informa was also announced as an
authorised ticket reseller.
The agreement follows the
announcement of other major events
to be held at DEC during Expo 2020,
including the World Government
Summit and the Global Islamic
Economy Summit, as well as the
Global Business Forums on Africa,
Latin America and ASEAN and World
Chambers Congress 2021, all hosted in
partnership with Dubai Chamber.
The Informa Markets teams in the
Middle East organise a number of
major international events in Dubai
including Arab Health, Middle East
Energy, Cityscape Global and Middle
East Film and Comic Con, and with
the development of the DEC on
the Expo site, the company felt the
collaboration was only natural. The
company is able to work with the
Expo on two levels: through hosting a
number of its events and as a ticketing
partner.
The idea behind hosting Informa
events at Expo is to provide the
company’s audience with new
content, to complement its existing
offering and to develop tailored
programmes that are relevant for all
its stakeholders.
Through the collaboration,
Informa also aims to offer a seamless
experience in visiting Expo through
14 — January
Informa partners with Expo 2020
EN talks to Peter Hall, president of Informa Markets
EMEA about the company’s deal with Expo 2020
integrated ticketing, transport and
events. Visitors, exhibitors and
delegates to its events from October
2020-April 2021 will be able to attend
Expo as part of their visit.
Peter Hall, president of Informa
Markets in Europe, Middle East
and Africa, said: “Informa has been
operating in the Middle East, with
Dubai as its hub, for over 25 years.
Dubai has established itself as a global
meeting point for business, and we
have enjoyed enormous success thanks
in no small part to the Emirate’s drive
for world-class infrastructure and
experiences, which Expo 2020 is set to
build upon.
“As we prepare to attract thousands
of guests to the DEC next year, we
are excited to be working with the
Expo 2020 team in delivering the
best possible experience for our
participants and visitors.”
The visitor numbers to each event
varies. For example, CityScape
(informa’s summit covering ‘the
biggest issues driving real estate
development and investment on a
macro-economic level around the
globe’), will be run alongside the
Global Economy Summit 2020,
meaning the attendees to this
event will add to the already 15,000
attending CityScape, whereas
Informa’s established events in the
Middle East, like the Middle East Film
and Comic Con (the region’s largest
celebration of pop culture, film and
animation) are expected to attract
over 60,000 visitors.
Hall said of the partnership: “There
is mutual benefit to the collaboration.
Informa is aligned with a major
international event, coming together
to highlight real-life solutions to the
world’s most pressing challenges;
Expo 2020’s sub-themes of
Opportunity, Mobility and
Sustainability. In return, our events
deliver relevant audiences to Expo
to add value to the 200 participants
– including 192 nations, multilateral
organisations, businesses and
educational institutions.”
Hall stressed that for Informa
Markets, their main focus is ‘adding
value’ to events, whether it be giving
a major partner a curated tour of the
Expo or enabling an Arab Health and
Medlab visitor to experience the event
between Informa’s healthcare and
laboratory shows.